Combustion and chemical recovery furnace and method of operating the same



Nov. 11, 1941. J. P. BADENHAUSEN 2,262,420

COMBUSTION AND CHEMICAL RECOVERY FURNACE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME Original Filed Jan. 25, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet l I JoimP/ullzp sfdderzhawen, j

Nov. 11, 1941.' JQP. BADENHAUSEN 2,262,420

COMBUSTION AND CHEMICAL RECOVERY FURNACE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME Original Filed Jan. 25, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 in l 0 II t 0 1' 175/111. Phi Zlzp'fiflderllw (men Nov. 11,1941. J; BADENHAUSEN- 2,262,420

COMBUSTiON'AND CHEMICAL RECOVERY FURNACE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME Original Filed Jan. 23, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 v Jimplzillgnsfiadenhaasen Patented Nov. .11 1 9 41 COMBUSTION AND CHEllIICAL RECOVERY FURNACE AND METHOD OF OPERATING THE SAME John Phillips Badenhausen, Philadelphia, 2a. assignor of one-half to Day and Zimmermann, 1

Incorporated, Philade "of Maryland lphia, Pa., a corporation ApplicationJanuary 23, 1937, Serial No. 121,974

, Renewed January 24, 1940 .9 Claims.

This invention relates to furnaces and methods of operating thesame, and more particularly to furnaces for the combustion of waste liquor from-industrial plants and the recovery fromlsuch liquor or valuable chemicals, the apparatus being so constructed, arranged and operated that the available heat of the combustibles contained in the waste material supplied to the furnace is advantageously utilized for carrying .on the reeovery operation and for generating steam, and

an increased recovery of the chemicals :in the waste liquor is obtained; 1

The invention further relates to improved methods of burning the combustible material contained in black or waste liquor from paper pulp mills and to improvedmethods of recovery of the chemicals in such liquor. 7

With the furnaces heretofore available, aswell as with the methods heretofore employed in the 1 treatment 1 of waste liquor from pulp mi11s a considerable quantityof the chemicals, including the sodium salts, was carried beyond the furnace by the products of combustion and ,deposited in the boiler space or on the induced draft. fan, or in some instances it passedout the stack. With such systemsit has been necessary,

atifrequent intervals, to shut down the operation of the unit, and clean orreplace the fan .rotor as Well as clean thespaces in the boiler where the chemicals have deposited This stopping,

and also the failure to recover the highest pos- 1 T sible' quantity of chemicals has prevented the attainment of the optimumdesired in the operation of systems for combustion and chemical 1 recovery.

There have also been serious limitationsnin the sizes of the units which could be constructed and operated in accordance with the systems heretofore known. 1

It is an object of the presentinvention, there 1 fore, to provide a combustionwand chemical recovery furnace construction, and methods .of operation thereof, which will overcomethe :difficulties heretofore encountered, and zwhich can ,tially complete combustion of the. combustible material in the black liquorwill be effected, and in which the yield of sodium salts recovered in the operation of the unit;willbeincreased.

It; is a further objectofthe "invention to provide animproved process for treating the black liquor in'the combustion of, the combustible material therein so that the recovery yield of wsodiumsalts will be increased.

Itis a further object of the invention to provide an improved apparatus for the combustion of the combustibles in black liquor which includes a plurality of separate chambers, withone chamber being suitably constructed for returningto another chamber the chemicals depositing therein.

Other objects of theinvention will appear from the annexed specification and claims.

Th nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which:

Figure l is a vertical central. sectional view taken from the fronttothe backofapreferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 1 1 1 Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, showing certain features of the device; 1 1 1 1 3 Fig. 3is a horizontal sectional view taken ap proximately on the line 33 of j-Fig. l and showing certain of-the details .of construction of one of the furnac chambers; and q 1 Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Fig. l and showing certain :of the details ofconstruction of another of thefurnace chambers. 1 It will, of course, be understood that thedraw I" 1 mgs and descriptmn herein contained are 1llustrative -merely, and that various modifications and changesrmay be made in the structure and methods disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1

Referring more particularly to the drawing it will be seenthat there is provided a furnace chamber Tlfl which operates as a smelter chambar, into which the concentrated waste liquor'is adapted to-be V sprayed, into which air, prefer- 1 ably preheatedfis supplied, from which gases at hightemperature pass to another chamber, and from which the recovered chemicals infused condition are withdrawn, as hereinafter more fully pointed out. N

The walls ofthefurnace chamber I 0 arewater cooled, the heat extracted from the [furnace chamber ID. by the water cooling tubes serving .to prevent excessive temperatures in the walls, and .also providing, .i n combination with the I3, a top wall I4 and a bottom wall I5.

The side walls II are each provided, near the top thereof, with an upper header I6 and near the bottom thereof with a lower header H, the headers I6 and Il being connected by a bank of tubes I8 which is exposed to the radiant heat within the furnace chamber II).

The front wall I2 is'provided near the top thereof with an upper header I9 and near .the

bottom thereof with a lower header 20, the headers I9 and being connected by a bank of tubes 2| also exposed to the radiant heat of combustion. 1

The side walls II and the front wall I2 of the furnace chamber I6 are substantially of the same vertical extent to provide a chamber which is relatively high and also relatively broad.

The upper portion of the rear wall I3 is spaced from the top wall I4 to provide for the passage from the furnace chamber II] of hot gases and U the return thereto of partially or completely treated chemicals, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

The rear wall I3, which extends downwardly to the bottom wall I5, is provided with a lower header 22 near the bottom thereof from which a bank of tubes 23 extends upwardly to an upper header 24, from which a bank of tubes 25 arranged near the side walls II extend upwardly,

as hereinafter more fully pointed out. The top Wall I4 of the furnace chamber I0 is also provided with a bank of tubes 26 which extend from the upper header I9, as will be hereinafter more fully referred to.

The bottom wall-I5 of the chamber III is formed as a collecting hearth or crucible space 3|], lined with refractory material along the bottom, and upwardly along the sides. A spout 3| is provided for the withdrawal of molten chemicals collecting or depositing on the collecting hearth 30.

Beneath the refractory lined bottom wall I5 a bank of tubes 32 is provided between the-lower headers 20 and 22.

Suitable provision is made for introducing air, preferably preheated, into the furnace chamber II! in the lower portion thereof and preferably above the floor I5. A duct 33 extending horizontally around the chamber II] is mounted on the exterior of the furnace chamber I0 and from this duct 33 suitable small ducts 34 lead to slots or openings 35 in the interior of the front wall I2 of the furnace chamber I0, these slots 35 being located between tubes of the bank of tubes 2|. Suitable flow control dampers 36'may be provided. The air duct 33 extends along the exterior of the rear wall I3 of the furnace chamber II] which is provided with a plurality of small ducts 31, which extend between tubes of the bank of tubes 23 to slots or openings 38 in the interior face of the rear'wall I3. The structure for introducing air through the rear wall I3 is substantially the same as the structure for introducing air through the front wall I2.

Suitable provision is made for spraying the waste fluid into the furnace chamber I0. vThe waste fluid material for introduction into the furnace has certain characteristics, 1. e. it contains combustible organic material, both volatile and non-volatile, combustible inorganic matter, chemicals to be recovered, andwater. The apparatus of the present invention, and the methods employed, are intended primarily for concentrated black liquor derived as waste from the cellulosic or woody fibre separation processes of paper pulp or kraft mills, but they are also suitable for the treatment of other waste fluids, such as distillery Wastes, having the characteristics referred to.

' The structure for spraying the black liquor or similar material preferably takes the form of a plurality of upwardly directed inclined nozzles 40 mounted within the chamber Ill and to which the fluid is supplied by suitable supply pipes 4| which extend through the side walls II. These nozzles 4|! are located in the furnace chamber II) below the middle thereof, so that the material to be burned is introduced in the lower portion of the furnace chamber I0 and directed and sprayed into the upper portion of this chamber. vAs the sprayed material is introduced into the space provided by the furnace chamber I0, all of the surfaces of the sprayed particles are brought into intimate contact with the upwardly moving gaseous stream, and said particles are thereby subjected to the heat and free oxygen within the stream as the said particles descend toward the floor of the furnace, and contact of the sprayed particles with the side walls of the furnace chamber II] is avoided as far as possible.

An additional furnace chamber 45 is provided which serves as an auxiliary smelting chamber, a settling chamber and a combustion chamber. The furnace chamber 45 is located above and to the rear of the upper extremity of the rear wall I3 of the furnace chamber If].

The additional furnace chamber 45 comprises a front wall 46, side walls 41, a rear wall 48, a top wall or ceiling 49, and a bottom wall 50. The walls of the furnace chamber 45 are preferably provided with water cooling and steam generating tubes, as hereinafter more fully pointed out.

The front wall 46 of the chamber 45 is provided with a header 5| to which the bank of tubes 26 is connected, the tubes of this bank being connected at their lower ends to the header I9. The banks of tubes 25 extending upwardly from the header 24 are also connected to this header 51; A bank of tubes 52 extends along the upper part of the front wall 46, and along the top wall 49 to an upper steam and water drum 55.

' The side walls 41 are preferably each provided with a lower header 56 near the bottom thereof, and with an upper header 5! near the top thereof, between which a bank of tubes 58 extends. The uppermost portions of the side walls 41 are provided with a bank of tubes 59 which extends from the upper header 51 to the steam and water drum 55. 1

The bottom wall 50 of the additional furnace chamber 45 is preferably made of refractory material inclined downwardly toward the front of the chamber 45 at an angle such as to direct and discharge the molten or other material depositing thereon back into the furnace chamber III.

The rear wall 48 of the chamber 45 is preferably composed of a baffle with an upwardly extending portion and a forwardly inclined portion 60. The rear Wall 48 is provided with a bank of tubes 6| which extends to the upper steam and water drum 55 and prevents the wall 48 attaining an excessive and destructive temperature.

Suitable provision is made for introducing air, preferably preheated, into the furnace chamber 45 and for this purpose the front wall 46 of the chamber 45 is provided on the exterior thereof with a horizontally extending air duct 65. Suit 67 to the furnace chamber-'45.

901 s arranged to therear of the economizer section forreceiving the hot gases therefrom and'is able smaller ducts- 65 lead therefromx to slots; 61 in the inside of the front wall;j46c betweentthe tubes ofthebankof tubes 26f A suitable control damper as at 68' for controllingl the quantity of air delivered through the slots 61 may also be providedt The steam generatingv structure includes" the headers and banksof tubes previously mentioned" in connection with the furnace chamber Inland the additional furnace chamber 45 and preferably includes also a boilersection which may be of any desired construction; The preferred embodi ment of' the boilersection includes the upper steam; and water drum 55, hereinbefore referred to, and a lower water drum 69' disposed=below the' drum 55b The boiler section'has two passes, a v bank of riser tubes T being arranged one pass of the boiler section between the drums 55 andi 69, and "a bank of downcomer= tubes l'lfbeing arranged in the other pass of the boiler section ditional ban k of risertub'es' 61 extends from the lower drum 6'9 along 'the vertical portion and the inclined portion 60 of the rear wall into the throat or passageway'at the upper portion of" the furnace chamber 45 and thence to the upper steam and water drum 55. A bank of downcomer tubes 12 extends from the water" drum 69 to the lower header 2'2 andan additionalbank of tubes 13 extends from the water drum'69 'to the lower headers 56.

The lower portion of the boiler section may be provided with suitable hoppers 14 and 15 for the collection and removal of any solid or molten material carried from the furnace chamber into the boiler section and falling therein.

A- super-heater lfi is preferably also employed and extends downwardly acrossthe passageway leading from the furnace chamber to the boiler section andextends into the central portion of the furnace chamber 45 The'superheater I6 is connected by a suitable pipe" to the steam and:

water drum 55. l

The steam generating structure preferably includes also an economizer' arranged' to the'rear of the boiler section and having two passes. Theeconomizer has an upper drum 80 which is connected to the upper steam and water drum of the boiler sectionby a bank of tubes 81 which lines the upper wall of the passagewayconnecting thesecond pass of the boiler section to the-economizer section and connects the'drums An additional The economizer may have, at the bottom thereof, a suitable hopper 81for the collection of anymaterial falling therein-to.

An air heater 90 is provided for preheating the air which issuppliedthroughthe slots 35 and '38" to the furnace chamber- Mend through the slots The air heater provided with suitableheat' exchangingsurfaces,

which may take the'form of tubes, the'air being brought in contact with one side thereofem the introduced into the furnace chamber hoti gases withrthe; other side: thereof: in :7 at. well lmown'mannerzr The airheater' 90: may also have; a suitable hopper: 9i atzl the 2 bottom thereof for theur'emoval' of any-"material which: falls: thereinto. n

An induced draft fan 92" provided, between the gas duct 93, which leads from the; air. heater;

flflgand atstacklfl. A forced draft" fan 95$ is also providedl for? supplying; air 'under pressure; to the airfheater 90 andthence afterpreheating through air ducts 96! and 91 to Lth'e: ducts 33 and for introduction into the furnace chamber l0 and the additional furnace. chamber; 45'; respecs tively.

The mod'es of 1 operation of the structure hereinv disclosed and theamethodf of recovering waste,

heat and chemicals by-ithe operation thereof will now be-set fort'h'.

Before the system isoperatedin the desired vmanner, it is necessary that the furnace chamber lfl a-ndthe furnace chamber 45 be preheated:

and brought to a temperature such thatcontinuous operation' mayrlbe effected without the necessity for supplying fuel to the system in addition or auxiliary to the combustibles supplied in and bythe waste liquid.

Theblack liquor previously concentrated in suitable apparatusalnot shown) is sprayed upwardly into thefurnace chamber [0; The air moves upwardly; The hotgases enteringxthe additional furnace chamber 45 'and;the air supplied to this chamber 45 are also introduced so as to provide an advancing movement, through the system; of the gaseous materials. The only substantial movement in opposition to the stream or current of the gases isthe movement of the chemicals to be recovered which, by reason oftheirmass; settleand are deposited on the refractory lined bottom wall 30:

Preheated air from the preheater'QO is supplied to the lower portion of the furnace chamber In at the 5 front thereof through the duct" 33; the

smaller ducts 34 and the slots 35,- and at the rear. thereof through the duct 33, thesmaller ducts 31 and the slots 38. The quantity-of air supplied at the lower'portion of the furnace chamber l0 may beregulated as desired by the damper 36 to provide and maintain the desired quantity of combustion supporting oxygenowithin the furnace chamberlfl.

The concentrated Waste liquor through the supplypipes 4| to the nozzles 40 is sprayed upwardly by the nozzles 43 from the lower portion of the furnace chamber l0 and is directed by the spraying into the upperportion of the furnace. chamber Ill;

The purpose of the spraying of the black liquor in this manner is to vaporize the water content remaining after concentration, to volatilize the volatile constituents of the black liquor and to initiate the-separation or splitting up for burning and the burning ofthe; combustible organic constituents of the black liquor.

The-first stageorstep in the operation of the.-

system causes the separation out of a substantial portion of the chemicals, such as sodium or" potassium salts, to be recovered, and the settling and deposition in a molten state on the refractory lined bottom wall 30 in a condition suitable forwithdrawalby thespout 3! from the furnace.

The' hot gaseous fluids passing from the furnace chamber Into the additional furnacechamber 45 contain volatile combustibles and aquantity-ofthe 'chemicals desired to berecovered:

l0- also,

supplied These hot gaseous fluids supplied or directed into the furnace chamber 45 have additional preheated air supplied thereto from the preheater 90 through the duct 65 on the exterior of the front wall 46 of the furnace chamber 45 through the smaller ducts 65, and the slots 6'! into the interior of the chamber 45.

The supply of air to the additional furnace chamber 45 i regulated and controlled as desired, for example, by means of the damper 68, and particularly so that substantially complete combustion of any unconsumed combustible materials introduced into this chamber is effected.

In the furnace chamber 45 also, by reason of the completeness of the combustion, the remaining portions of the chemicals to be recovered, which failed to separate out in the furnace chamber I separate out in the furnace chamber 45. These chemicals deposit on the inclined floor 50 of the chamber 45 which directs the material, in molten as well as in flaky form, back into the furnace chamber It. This return to the furnace chamber l0 aids additionally in the combustion of any combustible materials which remained in association with the chemicals. thus previously separated upon their return to the furnace chamber I0, pass downwardly through the advancing stream of hot gases and deposit on the bottom wall with the chemicals separated out in the furnace chamber II].

It is to be noted that the furnace chamber 45, by reason of its position and shape, with the upper portion of the rear wall inclined, maintains a turbulence within the chamber 45. This turbulence brings the particles of unconsumed combustible material into intimate contact with the air introduced into the furnace chamber through the slots 51.

The hot gases substantially free from the chemicals desired to be recovered passout the top of the furnace chamber 45 and to the boiler section.

In the boiler section the hot gases pass downwardly in contact with the bank of riser tubes ID of the boiler section, then upwardly in contact with the downcomer tubes II of the boiler section, and thence into the economizer section.

In the economizer section the partially cooled gases pass downwardly in contact with the riser tubes 85, around the lower edge of the baffle 84, then upwardly in contact with the downcomer tubes 86, and thence into the air preheater 9B. In the air preheater 90 the gases pass downwardly in contact with the heat exchange su faces thereof, then through the duct 93, the induced draft fan 92 and thence into the stack 94 for discharge.

While it is desired to recover the chemicals in molten form and free from combustible material, through the spout 3!, any small quantities of the chemicals which are carried beyond the furnace chamber 45 are precipitated upon the cooling of the gases by the absorption of heat therefrom in the boiler section, in the economizer section, and in the air heater. The small quantities of chemicals thus settling out may be removed from the hoppers 14, 15, 81 and 93 without interfering with the continuous operation of the system.

It will be noted that with the operation of the system of the present invention, the introduction of the waste liquor, the introduction of the air from the duct 33 and the introduction of the air from the duct 85, is in an advancing direction and that the only substantial counter-flow or movement in opposition to the stream of gases is the movement to the hearth 30 of the chemicals The chemicals to be recovered after the same have been sepa rated from the liquor.

It will be noted also that the height and size of the chamber H] are such that sufiicient time is available for dehydration and volatilization in the furnace chamber In, and that the additional furnace chamber 45 is of a size which permits of substantially complete combustion of the combustible material.

I claim:

1. The process of recovering heat and chemicals in a multiple chamber furnace from waste liquid containing combustible constituents and chemicals to be recovered which comprises spraying the liquid upwardly into a zone of a furnace chamber substantially free from contact of the liquid with the furnace chamber walls, supplying air to said zone for partial combustion of the combustible constituents in said zone and separation by said combustion of part of the recoverable chemicals in molten form, collecting the chemicals thus separated, advancing the gaseous stream to a zone in a second furnace chamber separated from said other zone, supplying air to the second chamber zone for completing the combustion therein of the combustible constituents and recovering additional chemicals, collecting the additional chemicals and withdrawing the recovered chemicals.

2. The process of recovering heat and chemicals in a multiple chamber furnace from, waste liquid containing combustible constituents and chemicals to be recovered which comprises spraying the liquid upwardly into an upper zone of a furnace chamber, supplying air to said upper zone from below for partial combustion of the combustibles in said upper zone, collecting recovered chemicals below said upper zone, advancing the gaseous stream to a zone in a second furnace chamber separated from said upper zone, supplying air to the second chamber zone for completing combustion therein of the combustible constituents, collecting recoverable chemicals in said second chamber zone, and withdrawing the chemicals from. the first chamber.

3. The process of recovering heat and chemicals in a multiple chamber furnace from waste liquid containing combustible constituents and chemicals to be recovered which comprises spraying the liquid upwardly into a zone of a furnace chamber, supplying air to said zone for partial combustion of the combustibles in said zone, separating recoverable chemicals by said combustion and collecting these chemicals in molten form, advancing the gaseous stream to a zone in a second furnace chamber separated from said other zone, supplying air to the second chamber zone for completing combustion of the combustible constituents, separating additional recoverable chemicals by said combustion in said second chamber zone, and withdrawing the recovered chemicals.

4. A waste heat and chemical recovery furnace for the treatment of waste liquid containing combustible constituents and chemicals to be recovered comprising a furnace chamber, means for spraying waste liquid upwardly into the upper portion of said furnace chamber, means for supplying air to said furnace chamber for partial combustion in said chamber of the combustibles, a second furnace chamber in communication with said first furnace chamber for receiving fluids at high temperature from said first furnace chamber, means for supplying air to said second furnace chamber for completing the combustion of and returning to the first furnace chamber non gaseous materials including chemicals to be recovered, and means in said first furnace chamber for collecting in molten form the chemicals to be recovered.

5. A waste heat and chemical recovery furnace for the treatment of waste liquid containing combustible constituents and chemicals to be recovered comprising a furnace chamber, means in the lower portion of said chamber for spraying waste liquid upwardly into the upper portion of said furnace chamber, means for supplyingair at the lower portion of said furnace chamber for partial combustion in said chamber of the combustiles, a second furnace chamber in communication with said first furnace chamber for receiving gaseous fluids at high temperature from said first furnace chamber, means for supplying air into said second furnace chamber for completing the combustion of the combustible por-- means in the lower portion of the first furnace chamber for collecting the chemicals in molten form.

6. A waste heat and chemical recovery furnace for the treatment of waste liquid containing combustible constituents and chemicals to be recovered comprising a furnace chamber, means in the lower portionof said chamber for spraying waste liquid upwardly into the upper portion of said furnace chamber, means for supplying air at the lower portion of said furnace chamber for partial combustion in said chamber, a second furnace chamber in communication with said first furnace chamber for receiving gaseous fluids at high temperature from said first furnace chamber, means for supplying air into the lower portion of said second furnace chamber for completing the combustion of the combustible portions of the gaseous fluids passing into said chamber from said first furnace chamber, means in said second chamber for collecting and returning to the first furnace chamber non-gaseous materials including chemicals to be recovered, and means in the first furnace chamber forcollecting the chemicals in molten form.

7. Apparatus for the recovery of heat and chemicals from waste liquids containing combustibles and recoverable chemicals comprising a first furnace chamber having a plurality of enclosing walls, means mounted in the lower portion of one of the walls for supplying waste liquid upwardly into said furnace chamber, means in the lower portion of one of the walls of said chamber for supplying air for partial combustion and recovery of chemicals in said chamber, means at the bottom of said chamber providing a collecting space for the chemicals to be recovered, a second furnace chamber having a plurality of enclosing walls, the walls of the furnace chambers having openings forproviding communication between said furnace chambers, means'in a wall of said second furnace chamber for supplying air into said second furnace chamber for completing combustion of the combustibles of the waste liquid, the bottom wall of said second furnace chamber being inclined downwardly in the direction of said first furnace chamber for returning to said first furnace chamber non-gaseous materials depositing on said bottom wall.

8. Apparatus for the recovery of heat and chemicals from waste liquids containing combustibles and recoverable chemicals comprising a first furnace chamber having a plurality of enclosing walls-banks of tubes for cooling said walls and for generating steam, means for supplying waste liquid upwardly into said furnace chamber, means for supplying air to said furnace chamber for partial combustion and recovery of chemicals, means at the bottom of said chamber providing a collecting space for the chemicals to be recovered, a second furnace chamber having a plurality of enclosing walls, banks of tubes for cooling said walls and for generating steam, the walls of said furnace chambers having openings for providing communication between said furnace chambers, and means in a wall of said second furnace chamber for supplying air to said second furnace chamber for completing combustion of the combustibles of the waste liquid. 9. Apparatus for the recovery of heat and chemicals from waste liquids containing combustibles and recoverable chemicals comprising a first furnace chamber, means for supplying waste liquid upwardly into the upper part of said furnace chamber, means in the lower part of said furnace chamber for supplying air to said furnace chamber for partial combustion and recovery of chemicals, means at the bottom of said chamber providing a collecting space for the chemicals to be recovered, a second furnace chamber, the furnace chambers having openings for providing communication between said furnace chambers, means in the lower part of said second furnace chamber for supplying air to said second furnace chamber for completing combustion of the combustibles of the waste liquid, the bottom wall of said second furnace chamber being inclined downwardly in the direction of said first V furnace chamber for returning to said first furnace chamber non-gaseous materials depositing on said bottom wall.

JOHN PHILLIPS BADENHAUSEN. 

